Our Very Own Playground!

I have been thinking and looking and talking and researching and getting estimates and thinking and dreaming and thinking again about the possibility of purchasing a playset for our back yard. Well, after getting a multitude of opinions, and feeling confident that I had all the information I could have, thanks to a local discount warehouse, I found that I COULD have a fabulous play set and not have to take out a second mortgage on my house! I took the plunge, and ordered the deluxe model from this store that offered free home delivery, and professional installation for an additional fee (as if I was going to build it?!!!)
Well, needless to say, from the minute the delivery truck dropped the boxes in our driveway, we were both soooo excited!

  It was my last professional day at school, and Kayli would be spending the day at daycare while the installation took place. The two guys were dragging boxes to the back yard by 7 a.m. and while I was giving them some last minute instructions, we turned to see Kayli walking towards us with a tape measure in one hand and a paper in the other...

...as it turns out, Kayli had some detailed instructions of her own, that she had quickly sketched with her pencil, and brought out to share...

the "guy in charge" was great as he took the paper from Kayli, examined it closely, then proclaimed "that's exactly what your playset is going to look like when we're done!" Then, I broke the news to Kayli that we would not be staying around to supervise (although we all know I wanted to!) I left for work after answering a few questions and estimating where I'd like the playset positioned...decisions,decisions...then, I was back to check on things about midmorning...

 I had the guys move the base over and back, then just a smidgeon this way, then a tiny bit more, and then he said "ok, now, once I put in the anchors, there's no moving it" (arghh, the stress of decision making!) I gave the thumbs up, then let them move forward! The playset was not done by the time they left at 3:00, but they promised to be back tomorrow to finish ...and we just HAD to try out the parts that were done...monkey bars...check

swings...working well...

so hard to wait for the grand finale! As bedtime approached, I began to hear the rumbling of thunder, and started to hear raindrops falling. Oh, Man, I quickly ran outside to rescue the paper manual that was sitting in a box of hardware! Hopefully, all the other stuff should "weather the storm!" The guys didn't get back until afternoon the next day, when the sun decided to come back out, thank goodness!
Now, they had an extra "supervisor"...

upon completion, we could not believe the grand structure that stood before us!

Ohhh, it's a dream come true...the monkey bars...the rock wall...the clubhouse...the lookout tower w/ telescope...the built-in picnic table w/benches...we were swooning...

I made a plate of nachos, and we had our first picnic/happy hour on the lower level picnic spot! From that moment on, Kayli has been on this thing from morning, (in her jammies)...

to night...

Yes, I have also been in the clubhouse AND the lookout tower. I have tried out the swings. I have been down the slide a number of times. We have "decorated" the clubhouse with a magnetic dry-erase board, and small kitchen set with dishes, and even added small rug remnants, that not only help with muddy feet, but can be used to gain speed on the slide! This playset has given us ample opportunties to get outdoors and stay outdoors. This is totally a "win-win" situation! This playset is simply FABULOUS!

Sun & Fun Day!

Once again, the school year comes to a close with the ever-so-popular sun and fun day. A whole day of outdoor running, hopping, climbing, racing, laughing, cheering, and overall pure joy!!! The following pictures need no explanations...

and for the grand finale...Kayli's 1st grade friends stop to pose for a silly picture before heading inside for popsicles!

Naughty Puppy Poor Ariel!

Chihuauas and Cinco De Mayo!

Kayli and I have been talking about Cinco De Mayo for a few weeks now, and surfing the net to see what kinds of celebrations would be taking place around the city. Surely there would be a festival of some kind...right? We just looove festivals! Well, we came across something intriguing. Not a festival, per se. A parade. Wait, but this isn't just any parade, like all other parades. Ohhh nooo, this is a "Chihuahua Parade!" Oh yeah, that's right, a parade consisting of hundreds of chihuahuas, dressed in costume! Nothing else, just Chihuahuas! (Actually it was open to other dog breeds too, but the focus was on Chihuahuas) The committee was trying to break the Guinness book of world records for largest number of costumed chihuahuas in a parade. They needed approximately 700 Chihuahuas to break this record! Oh my gosh, now this was sounding like our kind of fun! Kayli was over-the-top excited as she began counting down the days!
Well, the day arrived, we had our wagon, water, sunscreen, and even a fancy chihuahua t-shirt for Kayli to wear!

We hopped on the interstate, with just enough time to get down to SW Boulev and Broadway, and traveled approximately two interstate exits when we hit gridlock! There was a van flipped over on it's side, airbags deployed, glass everywhere, emergency vehicles everywhere. We got off the interstate and began an alternate route (loooong alternate route) downtown! I happened to know that the interstate was already down to one lane for construction at 75th street, so we really needed to head north before getting back on the interstate. I kept thinking "we just can't miss the parade!" as the minutes ticked away, and we of course were behind every slow moving vehicle in town! We made it at the stroke of the hour, with not a minute to spare, finding a parking place several blocks away, no time to put on sunscreen, no time to waste, and the perfect opportunity for me to burn a few calories by racing with Kayli in the wagon the 4 or 5 blocks to get to the action! 
We knew we had arrived as we turned the corner and saw this little guy...

 then...

and the action had just begun as they were trying to gather the masses for a photograph...

this was sooo funny, so many dogs, so many costumes, and nobody really knew how the parade was supposed to form. People and dogs were just milling about, mixing and mingling, and stopping occasionally to pose for a photo...

Wait a minute, who snuck that pig in here????

Kayli just kept saying "Mom, look at that one, look at that one!" Then we'd both crack up!

Eventually, one guy, who apparently was in charge of this whole thing, said "Ok, everyone, follow me!" and like the pied piper, people and their chihuahuas began to follow him down the sidewalk of SW Boulevard, and so, the parade began!
Apparently about 500 dogs showed up today, and 80% of them were actually Chihuahuas! They did not break the world record but it was quite a show! The proceeds from all the entries went to local no-kill animal shelter, where chihuahuas are among the most common breed of dogs to be dropped off.
Whew, with the parade over, and the sun at it's hottest, we walked back to our car amongst the throngs of pet owners carrying their tiny tired dogs, with their tiny tongues hanging out of the mouths, just begging for a drink. Yep, reminded me that Kayli and I have plans to head to my favorite Mexican restaurant tonight, where I will quench my thirst on a tasty Cinco De Mayo drink!
...and so we did...later that day...after dance class and a few errands...celebrate some more...

Ahhhh...Mmmm...

and after our fabulous dinner, we decided since the weather was equally as fabulous, we needed to head to a play park and soak up all the fresh warm air we could stand! Since we were already in our old neighborhood, we headed to one of our old favorite places we call "the dinosaur park"...

Kayli amazed me, as she adeptly made her way across the monkey bars...

then, she found a new friend, and quickly had her playing some kind of "spy and sneak" game that kept them entertained for quite a while...

As the other families started leaving the park, we I decided it was time to for us to call it a day.  "Aww, C'mon mom, can't we stay just a little longerrrr???"

So...eventually... we agreed to call it a day and head home by way of the rose garden...

the roses were beautiful...

just like my Kayli RoseMeili (Kayli's middle name, RoseMeili means "beautiful rose") and she sure is my beautiful rose AND my sweet pea!